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Evans looms as genuine Giro contender

Cadel Evans can enjoy the first rest day in the Giro d'Italia knowing he's gone from dark horse to genuine title contender.

Evans emerged from Sunday's wet ninth stage in second place overall, 29 seconds behind race leader Vincenzo Nibali of Italy, and in a very positive frame of mind for the mountain stages in north east Italy that follow a day off.

Australia's 2011 Tour de France champion picked up the red points jersey after leading the general classification contenders home when fifth in the stage.

After starting the tour with question marks over his form, he was putting no limits on what he could achieve in the remaining two weeks.

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"I'm well placed now and I'm very satisfied with how things have gone so far," said Evans on cyclingnews.com

"When we decided five or six weeks ago that I was going to ride, I decided I was going to give it everything. I want to do as well as I can."

Evans was delighted from having BMC Racing teammates Steve Morabito, Danilo Wyss and Daniel Oss up helping to close the gaps on the last climb to Piazzale Michelangelo overlooking Florence.

Adding to reasons for optimism, two key rivals - Tour de France champion Bradley Wiggins and defending champion Ryder Hesjedal - have struggled in the rain-soaked and difficult first week.

Astana team leader Nibali retained the race leader's pink jersey but, a day after losing only 11secs to Wiggins in a 54.8km time trial, the Italian saw Wiggins battle on the wet and slippery descent of the race's first category one climb, the Vallembrosa.

The Briton was left trailing and had to be paced back to the main peloton during a frantic 20km pursuit by three of his Sky teammates.

In the end, Wiggins lost no time to his key rivals but revealed another chink in his armour which, during his triumphant Tour de France campaign, was virtually impregnable.

Wiggins sits 1.16 behind Nibali, with Robert Gesink in third a second ahead.

The day's biggest loser was Garmin team leader Hesjedal, who struggled late in the stage and, after losing more than one minute to his rivals, dropped from sixth overall to 11th to sit 3:11 behind Nibali.

However, the vastly experienced Evans is well aware the race is only really starting.

"It's been a difficult Giro so far but it's too early to make a call on the race yet," Evans said.

"Let's wait for the real mountains to start. From Tuesday until the Tre Cime di Lavaredo, we've got to tackle so, so many climbs.